JP2562994B2 - Equipment for storing dish-shaped containers - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for storing dish-type containers such as plates, dishes or serving trays containing a product, with a vertical column (1) which has a base support (2) at the bottom side, the column (1) being triangular or rectangular in cross-section and provided at each side with supporting elements (8, 9) placed at equal intervals above one another. Each supporting element (8, 9) comprises two pin-shaped projections (11, 11') lying in line with each other in the horizontal direction, and a third pin-shaped projection (15) which is longer than the other two projections (11, 11') and lies centrally between the other two projections (11, 11') at a certain distance from the line connecting the other two projections to each other. The distance from the bottom projection (15) to the connecting line between the two upper projections (11, 11') is adjustable. The base support (2) for the column (1) comprises a flat bottom plate provided with wheels (3), which plate is provided with one or more fixing elements (23, 24) for detachable accommodation of the column. <IMAGE>

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for a dish-shaped container, such as a flat dish, a deep dish or a serving tray containing product. The invention particularly relates to a device for storing dishes with finished or semi-finished products in a refrigerator or freezer. In this case, it is extremely important that as many dishes as possible be stored per unit area.

Until now, movable racks containing plates or serving trays were used for this purpose. These racks with serving trays take up a lot of space even when not in use.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that satisfies the above requirements and can be stored without taking up a large space when not in use.

These objects are achieved according to the invention in that the device is formed by vertical columns with a bottom plate at the bottom, which columns are provided with supporting members which are equally spaced above one another for receiving the containers.

With such a device, it is possible to prepare a large number of plates in advance and, for example, prepare the same type of plates as the initial course or dessert in a short time. A number of dishes can be prepared in advance and then stored, for example in a refrigerator or freezer.

The pillars of the device are preferably triangular or rectangular in cross-section and are provided with support members evenly spaced above each other on each side, each support member being horizontally aligned with one another. It includes two pin-shaped protrusions, and further includes a third pin-shaped protrusion that is longer than the other two pin-shaped protrusions and is located at a center between them and at a distance from the line connecting them.

The dish can thus be engaged at the edges between the lugs, the third pin-shaped lug always bears on the bottom side of the dish, and the two pin-shaped lugs keep the dish balanced.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the distance from the third pin-shaped projection to the connecting line between the two upper pin-shaped projections is adjustable. This design allows the device to adapt to dish depth and various sizes and shapes.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the device consists of a column 1 with a bottom plate 2 on the bottom side. The bottom plate has a square surface, and wheels 3 are provided at each corner to make the device movable. Two of the wheels are casters, so the device can be moved easily.

In the example shown, the pillar 1 has an essentially square cross section,
Supporting members 4 are provided equidistantly on each other on each side of the pillar, which serves for storing dishes.

FIG. 2 shows schematically how the dish is held horizontally in the support member 4. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, each support member has a distance below the line connecting the first and second two pin-shaped protrusions 5 and the two pin-shaped protrusions lying horizontally in a row. It includes a third pin-shaped protrusion 6 lying centrally between these two pin-shaped protrusions. The dish 7 can comprise a finished product or a semi-finished product, which is inserted with the edges below the two pin-shaped projections 5 and rests on the pin-shaped projections 6 on the underside. For this reason, the upper two pin-shaped projections 5 are provided with rubber caps 8 which are frustoconical at their free ends and which are fitted so that their wide bottom surfaces are on the outside. The slightly upward edge of the dish thus bears against the conical surface of the rubber cap 8. The lower pin-shaped projection 6 is provided at its free end with a rubber cap 9, which is cylindrical. The lower pin-shaped projection 6 can be moved vertically with respect to the upper two pin-shaped projections 5, as indicated by the double arrow A in FIG. 2, in order to adapt the device to dishes of various sizes and shapes. .

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the pillar 1 including the support member 4. The pillar 1 is originally formed by a tube 10 of square cross section. Horizontal pin 11 forming first and second pin-shaped projections through this tube 11
And the pins are mounted in the same horizontal plane, always lying parallel to each other and extending at right angles to the two sides of the tube 10 lying opposite each other. The pins 11, 11 'lying in the same horizontal plane lie as far apart from each other as possible, in other words near the corner of the tube. Seen in the length direction of the pipe, the two pins 8
Always separated through two opposite sides of 10,
The one and the two pins 11 'are likewise always staggered through the other side of the tube 10 at a distance of half the longitudinal spacing of the support members on each side, and thus in this case orthogonal to the pin 11. To do. The pins 11 and 11 'are fixed in the tube 10 by a suitable method (not shown), for example by gluing.

Each side of the tube 10 is provided with a guide 12 which extends vertically over its entire length. This guide is U-shaped in cross section and has a flange on the outside of the end face, which is used to fix the cross section to the pipe. The bar 14 is mounted inside the space surrounded by the guide, and the bar is guided by the guide so as to slide in the longitudinal direction. Bar 14
Bears at regular intervals a number of pins 15 which form a third pin-shaped projection projecting through a longitudinal opening 16 provided in the guide. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the pin 16 is fixed to the bar 14 with bolts 17. The distance between pins 15 is 2 pins 1
Equivalent to the vertical distance between every 1,11 '. Each pin 15 has two pins 11, 11 'directly on it to form the support member 4,
Therefore, each pin 15 has a rubber cap 9 at its free end. The distance between the pin 15 and the pins 11, 11 'above it can be varied using a slidable bar 14 to adapt the support member to the dish to be stored.

FIG. 5 shows schematically how the adjustment of the support member can be carried out. Therefore, the cover plate 18 protruding beyond the pipe and overlapping at least the guide portion 12 is attached to the upper surface of the pipe 10. Alongside the bar 14, the cover plate 18 has an opening 19 through which an externally threaded rod 20 is inserted. The rod 20 has a rotary knob 21 at the upper end of the cover plate and the other end is connected to the bar 14 by a screw connection. By turning the knob 21 by hand, the bar 14 in the guide portion 12 can be moved vertically.

Finally, FIGS. 4A and 4B show a fixing member 22 by means of which the post 1 can be fixed to the bottom plate. The fixing member 22 comprises rods 23 to which diametrically plates 24 are soldered, which plates lie at right angles to each other. One end of the rod protrudes beyond the plate, and the protrusion has a thread groove. To fix the fixing member to the bottom plate 2, the threaded end of the rod 23 is inserted into an opening provided in the bottom plate and fixed using a nut 25. The post 1 rests on a fixing member which fits tightly into the internal recess of the tube 10. The fixing member and thus the column 1 can be fixed at a desired position on the bottom plate by providing a number of holes in the bottom plate.

The device according to the invention can also be used, for example, with a serving tray, so that the columns can also be fixed to the sides of the bottom plate 2. Therefore, the bottom plate is provided with a second fixing member on which the pillar can be fixed. This allows a large number of trays to be placed on one side of the pillar, which tray can be loaded with cups and saucers for serving coffee, for example.

Another possibility of the device according to the invention is to fix the columns firmly to the bottom plate by means of L-shaped rods fixed to the sides of the bottom plate, one leg of which is parallel to the column 1 and the other leg of which It is fixed on the upper surface. This L-shaped rod can therefore be used to mount the casing as it rotates around the post, resulting in a closed trolley. For example, the upper surface may be provided with freezing, and the lower surface may be provided with a heating device, for example. This type of trolley can be used independently of the refrigerator or oven.

Other accessories can also be easily supplied, for example a support which can be placed on a number of support members, on which a standard knife dish for example can be placed.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a schematic side view of the device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic enlarged view showing a state in which a tray is accommodated in a support member of the device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a view of the device of FIG. Partial horizontal sectional views, FIGS. 4A and 4B are respectively a top view and a side view of a fixing member for fixing the column to the bottom plate, and FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of an upper part of the column showing an adjusting mechanism of the supporting member. 1 …… Pillar, 2 …… Bottom plate, 3 …… Wheels, 4 …… Supporting member, 5,6 ……
Protrusion, 7 ... Plate, 8,9 ... Rubber cap.

Claims (10)

(57) [Claims] 1. A device for storing a dish-shaped container such as a flat plate, a deep plate, or a serving tray containing a product, which comprises a vertical column having a base at the bottom, and the column comprises a container. A plurality of supporting members for housing in the horizontal direction are provided, the supporting members are arranged at substantially equal intervals along the vertical column, and each supporting member is provided with the first and the second members provided on the same horizontal plane. The second pin-shaped protrusion and the center of the two protrusions,
A third pin-shaped protrusion that is spaced a distance from the horizontal surface of the protrusion of the book. 2. The third pin-shaped projection is longer than the two pin-shaped projections, and is located at the center of the two projections below the horizontal plane of the two projections by a predetermined distance. The device according to claim 1. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the third protrusion and the waterside surfaces of the two protrusions can be adjusted. 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the two pin-shaped projections have at their free ends an end with an outwardly widening cross section. . 5. The base of the vertical column comprises a flat bottom plate provided with wheels, the bottom plate comprising one or more fixing members for making the column removable. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said bottom plate is square and provided with two fastening members, one of which is in the center and the other is near the side edges of the bottom plate. . 7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the three pin-shaped projections of each support member are provided with a cap made of an elastomer at its free end. 8. The column according to claim 5, wherein the vertical column is made of a hollow tube, and the fixing member is formed by a stand member that engages with an inner hollow portion of the tube. Equipment. 9. The vertical column has a triangular or rectangular cross section so as to have a plurality of side surfaces, and a plurality of the support members are provided at intervals along the longitudinal direction of each side surface. The apparatus according to any one of 1 to 8. 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the third pin-shaped projections of the support member provided on the same side are simultaneously adjustable.